


Chasing Away Difficult Days

by Shadowmightwrite17



Category: Love Simon (2018), Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Bram comforts him, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Simon has had a bad day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 15:13:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15027368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowmightwrite17/pseuds/Shadowmightwrite17
Summary: Simon has had a downright awful day, and he can doesn't know how he's going to get through it. Simon barely makes it through the school day without breaking down, but as he's on the verge of tears, he's surprised by Bram.





	Chasing Away Difficult Days

It’s too painfully loud in the cafeteria. Everyone is buzzing around, and it’s got to be relatively normal because nobody seems bothered by the overwhelming activity, but to Simon it feels like everything has been turned up to eleven. And he just wants to forget today. To go home and sleep the shitty day off.

Mr. Wise openly insulted Simon’s short story in front of the whole class. It wasn’t just grammatically incorrect he said, but the storyline lacked plot and originality. Simon just wanted to write about two super heroes who didn’t know each other’s real identity but fell in love with each other anyway, and yes it drew too closely from his real life, but Mr. Wise didn’t have to criticize him so harshly, and in front of the entire class. He didn’t even bring up it being gay, he avoided pronouns. But everyone could read it a certain way. And they did. It got worse after English class when Brian Henderson, whom Simon considered to be one of the most intimidating and downright scariest dudes in his school, shoved him into a locker while passing by. The word homo was passed out, and nobody did anything. It burned in his chest and Simon wanted to shout after him, but Brian Henderson was one of those scary red necks who probably secretly had a knife and hunted every deer season, and Simon valued his life. Martin showed up too conveniently after that and gave him sad eyes because Simon, rightfully and justly, never acknowledged or forgave Martin. His apology email wasn’t worth shit after what he did to Abby, Bram, or him. Every time Martin looked at Simon like that he felt sick and everything in his head and chest hurt. He so desperately wanted to forget the months of anxiety-ridden hell Martin put him through.

So he sat at the cafeteria table, feeling alone even as he was surrounded by friends. Friends who were trying so hard to cheer him up.

The seat next to him was empty. Bram was in New York, taking a college tour of Colombia. Bram was smart, so smart, and he could get into any college he wanted to. Graduation was still a year away and already Bram had planned which colleges he was applying to, what essay topics he wanted to use, and scholarships he wanted to apply for.

In a weird way it made Simon feel increasingly aimless. He didn’t know what he wanted from college. Or even where he wanted to go. SATs were stressing him out and he felt he’d be lucky if Mr. Wise passed him with a C. A failing grade looked like his imminent future when Mr. Wise did the things he did today.

Good god all he wanted was for Bram to come back and kiss him hello.

But Bram was states and states away.

Lunch ended and Simon left without a word. Chemistry passed peacefully, kindly, and Simon had no trouble. Theatre felt strange. They were doing one more play, a small play, and Ms. Albright was stressing out and that should feel normal. But it didn’t. Instead he found himself sitting in the seats next to Abby, stuck in silence, as people ran about in disorganization. As Martin watched him and Abby.

Simon just felt sick.

Simon would stare at the clock and count down minutes, wishing for today to end. As he was packing up to leave, freaking Martin walked up to him.

“Hey Spier. I just wanted to say, I liked your short story. Er, the idea of it. I didn’t get to read it, obviously, but I liked the plot and I’d read it if you let me.” Martin rambled.

Simon felt so sick, and damn near crying and he would be damned if he cried in front of Martin. So he pushed past Martin. He left, ran through the back door without a word, fingers gripped tight around the backpack handle. He ran into the bright May sunlight.

And Bram.

Bram was leaning against his car with a smooth casualness that made Simon want to gasp. He was wearing a hoodie he’d lovingly stolen from Simon, that Simon secretly loved seeing on Bram. He was wearing sunglasses and holding two iced coffees in hand.  
Simon felt his shoulders shake, and his face twist. Relief flooded into his chest, where the knot of stress had been twisting his insides. It felt like too much again, and Simon couldn’t breathe. So he walked to Bram, feet quick, trying so hard to keep himself calm.

Bram saw through everything. He frowned, and from behind his sunglasses Simon could see his eyebrows pulling together. Bram turned and put the iced coffees on the roof of Simon’s car and ran towards him.

“Simon?” He called, and god Simon could hear the worry in his voice.

He just ran straight into Bram’s arms. He held on tightly as Bram wrapped his arms over Simon’s shoulders.

“I’m home,” Simon whispered wearily, choking on a sob.

“I thought that was my line,” Bram whispered, resting his chin on Simon’s head, fingers combing through his hair, softly, gently. 

“Simon, what happened?”

“Today was awful,” Simon whispered.

Bram rubbed his hand in circles in the space between Simon’s shoulder blades. “Can we get you somewhere better?” Bram asked quietly.

Simon pulled away and fished out his keys from his hoodie pocket, pressing them into Bram’s hand. Bram unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for Simon. He handed Simon the two iced coffees to put into the cup holders. One still had the straw wrapper on the top. That was Simon’s. He ripped the straw wrapper off and took a long, almost greedy sip.   
Bram and he liked their iced coffee the same way, with a good amount of cream and lots of sugar. Another special thing they shared.

Bram got in on the driver’s side and turned the car on.

“Anywhere special you want to go?” Bram asked.

“Home,” Simon whispered miserably. He was too exhausted for anything but his bed.

Bram drove quickly, effortlessly turning on Simon’s music as he pulled out of the parking lot. Elliot Smith played lowly on the radio, and Simon took comfort in it. He turned and buried his head into Bram’s arm, holding on. Clinging on. Bram steered with just his left hand so that Simon wouldn’t have to let go of his arm.

When they pulled to a stop in front of a stop sign, Bram took a moment to lean down and kiss the top of Simon’s head, gently running the fingers of his left hand through Simon’s hair. They drove forward again, almost home.

When they got home Simon grabbed his coffee and his backpack and rushed inside. Bram followed, not questioning if he was being invited in or not. He followed Simon up the stairs and into his room.

Simon flopped onto his bed, burying his head in his blankets. The mattress sunk by his feet as Bram climbed on the bed, He laid down beside Simon, resting his arm over his back.

“Tell me,” Bram whispered.

Simon broke down, told him everything, and Bram curled Simon into his chest. He laid there holding his boyfriend as Simon whispered today’s struggles into the red hoodie Bram stole from Simon.

“And then I saw you and everything just broke. Crashed down. I didn’t realize how much I missed you, needed you. You have no idea how much of a relief it was to see you there.” Simon whispered.

Bram nods, holding Simon tightly. He’d aimed for a romantic surprise, and had got there just in time to hold his boyfriend as the world came crashing down. He was where Simon needed him, and all he wanted was to never leave Simon again.

He brushed his hand along Simon’s tear stained cheeks and kissed him softly. He pulled the comforter that was too heavy and warm for the hot May weather over them both and held Simon. They laid there as the sun went down, spreading light across their skin through the window until it disappeared behind trees and houses. Simon slept peacefully in Bram’s arms, and Bram was just happy to be there. The hard, difficult moments and the happy, elated moments, he would be there for it all. Be there for Simon. 

And he knew Simon would do the same.

**Author's Note:**

> I read Simon vs. The Homo Sapien Agenda for the first time two weeks ago. I'm starting a reread already. It's my new favorite book. So I thought I would contribute to the growing collection of fanfiction for my favorite pair.  
> I wrote this on vacation. Kudos and comments are how you keep writings alive (like food and water) Love is returned in internet hugs and cookies.  
> I'll probably write more for this fandom.


End file.
